Self-storage facility having integral retail and customer service space

ABSTRACT

The invention is an enclosed self-storage facility having a customer service space located behind a facade. A person door is provided in the facade near the customer service space. The person door is located to allow access to a plurality of storage units located behind the facade and behind the customer service space within a building. Customers must pass by or through the customer service space for access to their respective storage units. These features advantageously provide added actual security, added perceived security, opportunity for the facility personnel to talk with provide service to customers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is related to a self-storage facility.

BACKGROUND

With the increasing demand for self-storage facilities, several different self-storage concepts have been developed. For example, various sized outdoor accessed storage units are common in these facilities. They often include a garage type roll up door on each storage unit, which opens onto a driveway or parking lot. Security becomes a greater risk in such a facility since each unit is easily anonymously accessible by automobile and controlled access involving personal interaction with facility management is difficult to achieve.

Alternatively, indoor self-storage facilities have been developed, sometimes made from converted warehouses, wherein a plurality of units are located along interior corridors which are accessible. Many of these interior storage facilities, however, have the inherent problem that corridor access somewhat limits cargo handling capabilities for larger items desired to be stored. Additionally, perceived safety and security is an issue due to the customer using an interior warehouse, and often being the only or one of a few persons present in the facility.

Regardless of the type of facility, some self-storage facilities-have an adjacent office or customer service building or room where customers sign leases, report problems, and interact with facility staff. In addition, these customer service and office areas serve as space where customers can purchase retail goods, such as storage related products, packaging, storage and shipping materials, and other space organizing materials. The problem with facilities having adjacent office or customer service building or rooms is that a potential or existing customer can enter into the facility itself without passing by the facility's staff and retail displays. As a result, these facilities lose valuable customer prospects, lose potential sales, and foster an anonymity which decreases perceived security.

What is needed is a self-storage facility including a retail and/or customer service area which provides added actual security, added perceived security, opportunity to talk with and lease to potential customers, and opportunity to talk with and provide service to existing customers. It is also desirable to enhance the ability to handle large storage items and to have access to retail products associated with the self-storage needs.

SUMMARY

The invention is an enclosed self-storage facility having a customer service space located behind a facade. A person door is provided in the facade near the customer service space. The person door is located to allow access to a plurality of storage units located behind the facade and within a building. Customers must pass by or through the customer service space for access to their respective storage units. These features advantageously provide added actual security, added perceived security, opportunity for the facility personnel to talk with provide service to customers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the facade of a self-storage facility according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a floor plan of the lower level of the self-storage facility of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a floor plan of an upper level of the self-storage facility of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The invention provides an improved self-storage facility 10, which has versatile access, improved access control, and accessibility to a customer service space 40. The customer service space may optionally include a retail section. The self-storage facility 10 as shown in the figures, is a self-contained facility having a plurality of various sized storage spaces 30 positioned within the interior of a building. The building has a facade 12, which is joined by a pair of side walls 24, 26 and closed by a back wall 28. The facade 12 will first be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1. The facade 12 covers several levels of the building. In this exemplary embodiment, the facade 12 covers the two levels detailed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The facade 12 features a variety of windows 22 giving visual access to both the first and second levels. An emergency door 14 is provided for access to a staircase 13. A person door 16 is provided adjacent to a plurality of windows 22 in order to provide visual access to the customer service space 40 (FIG. 2) which will be described below. Two rollup doors 18, 20 are also located along the facade 12 for allowing moving of larger items into the facility 10. The roll up doors 18, 20 are preferably openable only from the inside therefore preventing an unauthorized entrant from passing into the facility without being detected by the manager of the customer service space 40. Therefore, access to the self-storage facility 10 is generally through the person door 16 thus allowing the customer service space manager to see and communicate with customers both entering and exiting the facility 10. Optionally, an additional security feature could be provided whereby customers entering the person door 16 must sign in or utilize an electronic tracking system at the customer service space 40 in order to gain access to the facility.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a lower level floor plan is shown. The floor plan shows a plurality of storage spaces 30 located behind the facade 12 and within walls 24, 26 and 28. The storage spaces 30 may vary in size having appropriate sizes and quantities of each size space selected to accommodate market demand. A plurality of corridors 32 extend between rows of storage spaces 30. Each of the corridors 32 is open to a main corridor extending along the facade 12. Roll up doors 18, 20 allow access to the corridor 32 for larger items while smaller items may be transported through the person door 16. A customer service space 40 is located at the head of two of the rows of storage spaces 30. The customer service space 40 is visible from outside the facade 12 through person door 16 and windows 22. The customer service space 40 is generally open and optionally configured to have a retail section with product offerings readily visible for selection. A counter or desk may be provided within the customer service space 40 for allowing a facility manager to interact with customers and transact business. A back office 41 is provided for storage, electronics, and mechanical facilities associated with the customer service space 40. Users of the storage facility must enter the person door 16 and pass through the customer service space 40 in order to access the corridors 32 and storage units 30. The customer service space 40 is preferably designed to offer customers services and products which are related to their storage needs. For example, retail offerings may include packaging, taping and filler materials, padlocks, storage materials such as boxes, bags and covers of various types and sizes, and organizing materials such as shelving or other organizing goods and postage services. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, on an upper level, a plurality of storage units 30 of various sizes are located in rows and separated by corridors 32. Access to the upper level is provided by an elevator 17 or a staircase 13. Egress from the upper level of FIG. 3 is through the elevator 17, staircase 13to the outside through the emergency door 14 on the facade 12 as described above or the emergency exit at the rear of the facility 10.

An advantage of the self-storage facility 10 is that customers pass an integral customer service space upon entry. This provides added actual security, added perceived security, opportunity for the facility manager to talk with and lease to potential customers, and opportunity for the facility manager to talk with and provide service to existing customers. In addition, this arrangement enhances the ability to handle large storage items and retail access to products associated with the self-storage needs.

The foregoing illustrates some of the possibilities for practicing the invention. Many other embodiments are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that the scope of the invention is given by the appended claims together with their full range of equivalents. 

1. An enclosed self-storage facility comprising: a facade closing in two side walls and a back wall, the facade having a person door for entry; a plurality of storage units located behind the facade and within a building; and, a customer service space located behind the facade adjacent to the person door.
 2. The self storage facility of claim 1 further comprising an emergency door which is accessible from a staircase within the building.
 3. The self storage facility of claim 1 further comprising a person door located in the facade adjacent the customer service space.
 4. The self storage facility of claim 3 further comprising windows located on the facade adjacent the customer service space such that visual access is provided to the customer service space from outside the building.
 5. The self storage facility of claim 4 further comprising at least one rollup door located in the facade.
 6. The self storage facility of claim 3 wherein access to the building is allowed through an electronic tracking system located at the customer service space.
 7. The self storage facility of claim 1 wherein the storage units are located beyond the customer service space such that access to the storage units is through the customer service space.
 8. The self storage facility of claim 1 further comprising a desk located in the customer service space.
 9. The self storage facility of claim 1 wherein the storage units are located along a plurality of corridors extending back from the customer service space.
 10. The self storage facility of claim 1 wherein the customer service space includes a retail section. 